Myths about men and women

Cordelia’s new book “ Testosterone Rex”, explains men and women’s investment in their off-spring was fundamentally unequal, hence they need different approaches to reproductive success,  as the sexes evolved different kinds of brains and desperate natures, with men being more promiscuous, risk-taking and competitive, and women more caring and nurturing. Testosterone are produced for male reproductive system to create the distinctive male nature and behaviour.

In every generation, sex hormones and male and female brains are thought to continue

unbreached distinctions.making way for inequalities in modern society. You can forget beliefs in sex differences disguised as evolutionary facts.

Fine optimistically describes in the book about male behaviours,  “of course there are genetic differences between males and females, which usually line up to create biological sex. But why do we expect this to inexorably shape brain and behaviour in clear-cut male or female ways.”

In humans studies of male and female brains show remarkable similarities. There are sex effects, which combine with other factors in complicated ways. People generally are not straightforwardly masculine or feminine.  A study of 55 and 70 per cent of people reveals a mosaic of gender characteristics. Hormones respond to the environment, and testosterone is one item in  complex system rather than absolute. Haplochromis Burtoni the fish which is aggressive, colourful, high-testosterone territorial males normally don’t lose their bold colours as a direct result of castration, unless they are forced to share a tank with bigger territorial specimen.

It seems that both men and women who are interested in getting a new sexual partner have higher circulating testosterone and search for greener pastures than people who are floaters, happily content either coupled or single.

It matters greatly for the daily choices we all have to make. According to Fine “ It all adds up, and if no one sweats at small stuff, the big stuff will never change.” Fine Sites the example of colour coding of toys as we tend to assume boy’s preferences for boy toys and girls’ for girl toys are innate, fixed and universal, but biological sex does not prescribe any of this.”

Fine’s conclusions are meticulous and her book would influence many.

If you ever thought that men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, or that men don’t listen and women can’t read maps, and if you find this stereotyping irksome this book is for you.

Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds by Cordelia Fine Icon £14:99; Norton $26.95, 256 pages.